Rotary Cancer run cancelled amid COVID-19 uncertainty

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | There will be no Rotary Cancer run this year following uncertainty on public gathering as the world battles the deadly coronavirus disease. The run was scheduled to take place on August 30.

Now in its eighth year, the event organized by the Rotary district 9211 was intended to improve the treatment of cancer in Uganda with the latest technology available on the market. This year, the programme seeks to raise funds to construct and equip a 36-bed cancer wards at Nsambya Hospital.

The Uganda Rotary Cancer Programme through the run hoped to raise 18 billion Shillings to buy two linear accelerators and build two bunkers to house the medical equipment. The project is expected to be completed in 2023.

But this year’s event chairman Denis Jjuuko says that the event has been called off following extensive consultations and in adherence to a belief that in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, nothing is more important than the health of people in the country. Jjuuko added the next cancer run will take place on Sunday, August 29, 2021.

However, the district is planning to have a virtual event to enable runners to participate in the event from the comfort of their homes while at the same time maintaining the spirit of supporting the drive to kick cancer out of Uganda.

Through the past cancer runs, the Uganda Rotary Cancer Programme successfully constructed the cancer ward at Nsambya Hospital. With 2.5 billion shillings raised by 2019, Uganda Rotary Cancer Programme was set to start the construction of bunkers this year with the hope of more funds in 2020 Rotary Cancer Run.

Last year Rotary Cancer run was organized in Kampala and over 40 towns around the country attracting more than 50,000 participants.

According to the Uganda Cancer Institute, about 22,000 people die per year of cancer. There are more than 60,000 cases of cancer per year in the country of which 25,000 are incident cases. In the next five years, it is estimated that there will be 80,000 cancer cases in the country at any one time.

This year the Buganda Kingdom also cancelled its annual Kabaka run over COVID 19 pandemic. Uganda has so far registered 126 confirmed COVID-19 cases.

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